Toy



E. F. KUPKA Feb. 1s, 1941.

TOY

` Filed Nov. 2, 1940 .Edward 77'. /fu/olra,

Feb. 18, 1941.

E. F. KUPKA TOY Filed Nov. 2, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QN n Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I' v TOY Edward FranlrKupka, Mason City, Iowa i Appiicationnovember 2, 1940, serial No. 364,081: 2 Claims. (c1. @1e-104) toy of this character in which provision is madeY for the toy to crawl over a surface with its central' portion alternately rising in a hump` and asp suming a straight position between the twofends. l A second important object of the invention is to provide a novel device of this character wherein the two end portions of the device alternate approach and recede from each other. I Y

A third important object of the invention is to provide a toyv of this character wherein vthe approaching and reoedingmovements above Amentioned are effected by alternate forward movement and stoppage of the rear end portion of the device.

With the above and other objects in View, as will be presently apparent, the invention consists in general of certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying ldrawings and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

`In the accompanying drawings like charac-ters of reference indicate like parts in the several views, and- Fig, 1 is a perspective View of the complete toy in one position.

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the toy in a second position, the view being partly in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a plan View of the working parts of the'invention with the casing means shown surrounding these parts and in section.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a detail perspective View of a certain guide bracket used herein.

Fig. 6 is a detail perspective view of the front end of a certain operating bar used herein.

In the embodiment shown in the accompanying 45 drawing-s there is provided a front end casing I0 and a rear end casing I I. Each of these casings is `formed `of sheet metal or other stili and rigid material.v The casing I0 is of segmento-cylindrical form having a slot I2 formed in its lower 50 rear part and the front end of this casing is closed by a dome shaped portion I3. Similarly the rear casing is slotted as at I4 and has a dome shaped rear closure I5. A lug I6 extends rearwardly from one side of the lower par-t of the 55 casing I0 anda similar lug I'I extends forwardly casing II. y i xed the lugs I6 and I1 andis `coaxial with the casings I0 and II so that its axis lies above from the lower part of the opposite vside of the A spring wire helix I8 hasv its ends thepoints of attachment of its ends. `By reasonlf of this if the casing II be moved toward the casing I0 the helix I8 ywilllbend upwardly.

i, InI the forward end ofthe casing I0 there'is provided a spring motor of ordinary construction the casing of which is shown at I9; The springI motor is provided with a winding shaft 2| which may be wound by meansof an ordinaryclock key inserted through an opening 22 formed `.in the casing4 III. On the shaft 2| is mounteda sleeve 23 carrying a gear 24. This sleeve 'isldrivven byV the mechanism (not shown) in the casing I9.

,Fixed on the shaft 2| i-s a ratchet 25 which is` engaged by a pawl 26 pivotally mounted on the gear 24 to provide the usual ratchet and pawl arrangement for permitting windingV of the spring of the motor without affecting the other mechanism of the motor. The motor also includes a. governor shaft 21 whereon is mounted a wheel 28 carrying one or more flexible rubber fingers which bend outwardly under centrifugal force upon the wheel 28 rotating rapidly. In the path of the finger isa bracket 3U which is mounted on the member I0 and when the speed of the motor becomes greater than desirable the finger 29 will strike the bracket 30 as it revolves and thus check the action of the motor. The device thus described forms a governo-r.

A pair of shafts 3l extend across the casing I I and are journalled in the wall thereof. On the forward shaft 3| is mounted a flanged drum 32 on one of which is arranged a circular series vof spaced pins 33 forming a pin gear which `meshes. with the gear 24 so that the drum 32 is driven by the spring motor. On the rear shaft 3| is mounted a flanged drum 34 and around the drums 32 and 34 is trained a belt 35 having transverseprojections 36 simulating caterpillar legs. The lower run of this belt and the projections 3S project downwardly through the slot I2 to engage the surface on which the top rests.

Similarly there is mounted in the rear casing III a pair of shaft-s 31 .on which are mounted flanged drums 38 and a belt `39 having projections 40 lis trained around the drums. On one of the drums is mounted a ratchet 41| which is engaged -by a spring pawl '42, the` arrangement being suc'h that the belt can only move in a direction permitting the toy to move forwardly.-

Depending from the top of the casing I0 is a pair of brackets v43 which are provided with openings 44 formed with rearwardly projecting anges 45. An ractuating bar ha-s its forward portion 46 slidably mounted in these .brackets and has an enlarged rear portion 41 fixed to the top of the casing H. A pin 48 extends transversely through the forward end of the bar 46 and limits rearward movement of the bar by engagement wlith the flanges 45I of the forward bracket 43. A link 49 has its rear end pivoted to the bar -46 and its forward end eccentrically pivoted to the gear 24 so that revolution of the gear moves the rod 46 through the brackets and all-ternately moves the casing Ill toward the casing I and permits the casing -I I to rest While the casing Ill moves forwardly.

An outer cover 50 covers all but the bottom of the device and is suitably decorated to resemble a caterpillar or other similar larva.

In operation the action of the motor drives the forward belt '3"5 to move the forward end of the toy forwardly at a substantially uniform speed as controlled bythe governor at the same time the link 48 alternately effects forward movement and rest Iof the rear end, the forward movement being faster thanthe forward movement of the front end. As the rear end moves forwardly it approaches the front end and the spring I'8 bends upwardto produce the hump common to many insect larva as they move forwardly. As the forward motion of the front end continues the rear end comes to .rest and the hump straightens out. Thus operation continues until the motor runs down.

There has thus been provided a simple and efficient device of :the kind and for the purpose specified.

form and construction of the invention without departing from the material principles thereof. It is therefore to :be understood that the invention is not coniined to the exact form herein shown and described but it is desired to include all forms which properly come within the scope claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

'1. IIn a toy of .the kind described, an elongated hollow body of generally cylindrical form and having rigid front and rear ends and a exible middle portion, endless belts mounted in and supporting the front and rear ends, motor means 'actuating `the belt in the front section, pawl and ratchet means associated with the rear belt and arranged to prevent backward movement thereof, means actuated by. the motor means effecting more alternate movements of the end-s toward and Ifrom each other and means to effect upward bending of the middle portion during movements of the ends toward each other.

2. 'In a toy of the kind described, an elongated hollow body of generally cylindrical form and having rigid front and rear ends and having a flexible middle portion, endless belts mounted in and supporting the front and rear ends, motor means actuating the belt in the front section, Lpawl and ratchet means associated with the rear belt and arranged to prevent backward movement thereof, means actuated :by 'the motor means effecting alternate movements of the ends toward and from each other, a spring helix connected below its axis to the lower part of said end-s and a flexible cover extending over said ends and helix.

EDWARD FRANK KUPKA. 

